Golden Sun: The Lost Age GBA

Golden Sun: The Lost Age extends and deepens the storyline of the first Golden Sun, a big hit a couple of years ago. First-timers will quickly find themselves immersed in the dazzling world of Weyard, while veterans will appreciate how the new game builds upon the first, while also providing the opportunity to upload character attributes.

Stirring Story

Alchemy -- or so ancient legend has it -- wrought the base elements of humanity into thriving civilizations. But after alchemy's unbridled power began corrupting the hearts and minds of men, four elemental lighthouses were built to seal it away.

In the first Golden Sun, two members of the Mars clan, Saturos and Menardi, succeeded in lighting two of the lighthouses before being defeated by a brave group of warriors led by Isaac. In Golden Sun: The Lost Age, a new party seeks to light the last two lighthouses. Will their efforts bring forth another golden age -- or the destruction of the world?

Adepts

The many controllable characters in Golden Sun: The Lost Age are all Adepts, capable of using psychic energy (or Psynergy). Each of the major characters is aligned with a particular element. They include:

• Felix. The game's hero, this Earth Adept has been a quest to activate the elemental lighthouses since Saturos and Menardi saved him from drowning three years before.

• Jenna. This Fire Adept is torn between loyalty to her brother, Felix, and her childhood friends, Isaac and Garet, who are determined to stop Felix from activating the lighthouses.

• Piers. Little is known of this Water Adept, including why he crossed the Eastern Sea from the distant island of Lemuria.

• Sheba. As a young girl, this Wind Adept fell from the skies to the hamlet of Lavilero. Sheba accompanies Felix for reasons best known only to herself.

Psynergy can be used both in and out of battles. Non-battling uses include moving objects and discovering hidden items. Certain items bestow new Psynergy capabilities when equipped by a particular character.

If you transfer data from the first game -- preferably by a Game Boy Advance Game Link cable -- you'll unlock additional secrets in Golden Sun: The Lost Age. If you performed specific deeds in the first game, special events will be unlocked this time around.

Also, you'll unlock all character data, including Djinn, for Isaac, Garet, Ivan and Mia, who also appear in the new game.

The Genius of Djinn

Djinn (singular Djinni) are creatures that, like Adepts, are each associated with an element: Venus (earth), Mercury (water), Mars (fire) and Jupiter (wind). Properly managing Djinn may be the most important path to success in the game.

Djinn can affect a character's statistics. Most give the greatest statistical boost when paired with an Adept of the same elemental type.

Djinn can also summon spirits in battle. Generally, the more Djinn you have, the more powerful the spirit they can summon. Some spirits can only be summoned by Djinn of various elements; for example, summoning Ulysses requires two Mars and two Mercury Djinn.

Soldiering On

Golden Sun: The Lost Age delivers well over 40 hours of rock-solid gameplay in an epic that spans seven continents.

Last updated on 10 December 2007